Jimmy Walker knew he would be here about eight months ago. Walker spent almost the entire year on top of the FedEx Cup standings and the Ryder Cup standings after winning three PGA Tour events before mid-February. He was the hottest golfer in the world for the first few months of the season, and a lock to contend on a week-to-week basis.
Jimmy Walker may be the US team’s most critical player at 2014 Ryder Cup
Jimmy Walker has been a machine from start to finish this year, and now he’ll need to come through in the most intense atmosphere of his career if the USA is to have a shot at taking back the cup.
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Walker is 35-years old and had bounced back and forth between tours before finally getting his footing on the most competitive Tour in the world. So he’s bit of a late bloomer and older for a rookie, but he’s been automatic all year and could be the key for Tom Watson’s team. There was a fear that Walker would seal his spot before spring ever arrived and then completely fall off in the weeks and months that mattered preceding the Ryder Cup.
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But that hasn’t happened, at all. Walker continued to roll through the summer, making cuts, posting top 25s and top 10s, including at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. He’s a rookie but he’ll be counted on to maintain his world-class iron play and ball striking to potentially carry his partner in the two-man games. It might make sense for Tom Watson to put him with one of the other Texas players, such as Hunter Mahan or Jordan Spieth.
He may not be the most important player on the USA side, but I find it hard to see a scenario where he’s wiped out and the Americans take back the cup. This is not some flash-in-the-pan qualifier who snuck in toward the bottom of the points standings with a couple good results. He’s one of the few American players who has won this year, and played consistently from start to finish. Set aside the inexperience stuff, because all the other experienced USA players haven’t exactly won much in this setting. Being a rookie may be an advantage. I think Walker has to pick up some points in order for the Americans to have a chance.
Age: 35
World ranking: 19
Ryder Cup record (Win-Loss-Halve): 0-0-0
Past Ryder Cup appearance: None
How he qualified: Automatic spot -- 4th in standings (6,111.405 points)
